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arXiv:2506.10023 · Foundations of Physics

The Quantum Theory of the Electromagnetic Field in the Weyl–Wigner Representation as a Local Realistic Model

Emilio Santos

Published Apr 16, 2025• 4 citations
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Abstract

Abstract I revisit the Wigner (or Weyl–Wigner, WW) representation of the quantum electromagnetic field. I show that, assuming that Fock states are just mathematical concepts devoid of physical reality, WW suggests a realistic interpretation which turns out to be (classical) Maxwell theory with the assumption that there is a random radiation filling space, the vacuum field. I elucidate why, in sharp contrast, non-relativistic quantum mechanics of particles does not admit a realistic interpretation via WW. I interpret experiments involving entangled light beams within WW, in particular optical tests of Bell inequalities. I show that WW provides clues in order to construct local models for those experiments. I give arguments why Bell definition of local realism is not general enough.

DOI
10.1007/s10701-025-00835-4

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Abstract I revisit the Wigner (or Weyl–Wigner, WW) representation of the quantum electromagnetic field. I show that, assuming that Fock states are just mathematical concepts devoid of physical reality, WW suggests a realistic interpretation which turns out to be (classical) Maxwell theory with the assumption that there is a random radiation filling space, the vacuum field. I elucidate why, in sharp contrast, non-relativistic quantum mechanics of particles does not admit a realistic interpretation via WW. I interpret experiments involving entangled light beams within WW, in particular optical tests of Bell inequalities. I show that WW provides clues in order to construct local models for those experiments. I give arguments why Bell definition of local realism is not general enough.
The quantum electromagnetic (EM) field is formulated in the Weyl–Wigner representation (WW), which is equivalent to the standard Hilbert space one (HS). In principle, it is possible to interpret within WW all experiments involving the EM field interacting with macroscopic bodies, the latter treated classically. In the WW formalism, the essential difference between classical electrodynamics and the quantum theory of the EM field is just the assumption that there is a random EM field-filling space, i.e., the existence of a zero-point field with a Gaussian distribution for the field amplitudes. I analyze a typical optical test of a Bell inequality. The model admits an interpretation compatible with local realism, modulo a number of assumptions assumed plausible.
We characterize the electromagnetic vacuum as a stochastic field. Some consequences, like the particle behaviour of light, are studied. The stochastic approach is connected with the standard Hilbert space formalism via the Weyl transform. Several experiments involving spontaneous parametric down conversion are studied comparing Hilbert space and Weyl–Wigner formalisms. This allows an intuitive picture of entanglement to be obtained as a correlation between field fluctuations in distant places, involving the vacuum fields. The analysis shows that the Bell definition of local realism is not general enough, whence the reported violation of Bell inequalities does not refute local realism.
I contend that physics should provide a coherent account of reality, in addition to being an efficient algorithm for the prediction of empirical results. This article offers pictures of reality derived from theories of modern physics. In particular, it is shown that Bose quantum fields may be interpreted as pure wave fields via the Weyl–Wigner representation, the most relevant result being the existence of a stochastic vacuum field corresponding to the quantum vacuum fluctuations of the standard, canonical, formulation of field theory. That field provides explanations for the particle (photons) behavior of the electromagnetic field. Also, a realistic interpretation is offered for interference experiments with actual particles, like atoms. The interpretation of classical general relativity is standard but emphasis is given to the principle of equivalence. Problems like spacetime singularities (black holes) and the empirical violation of Bell inequalities are touched on but slightly. Asides from these problems, the main incompleteness of the article is the absence of a realistic interpretation of Fermi fields.
We give a definition of locality in quantum optics based upon Bell's work, and show that locality has been violated in no experiment performed up to now. We argue that the interpretation of the Wigner function as a probability density gives a very attractive local realistic picture of quantum optics provided that this function is nonnegative. We conjecture that this is the case for all states which can be realized in the laboratory. In particular, we believe that the usual representation of 'single photon states' by a Fock state of the Hilbert space is not correct and that a more physical, although less simple mathematically, representation involves density matrices. We study in some detail the experiment showing anticorrelation after a beam splitter and prove that it naturally involves a positive Wigner function. Our (quantum) predictions for this experiment disagree with the ones reported in the literature.
The Wigner representation for quantum mechanics of particles is generalized to Bose fields. The standard Hilbert space quantization becomes, via the Weyl transform, a quantization method that consists of adding a Gaussian zeropoint field distribution to the vacuum. I comment on the possible advantages of the method in order to study quantum fields in curved spaces. I study a unified formulation of non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics in the Weyl–Wigner formalism, in terms of (classical-like) c-numbers.